1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns covers, and waterproof covers, for casts and for bandages located on limb extremities so as to maintain dry the casts and bandages, preventing moisture from accumulating under the casts and bandages during exposure of the limb to water, such as during bathing, showering or swimming.
The present invention particularly concerns quick-deploying, easy-use, reusable, low-profile, snug-holding, comfortable, economical and operationally effective cast, bandage and dressing covers having the topologies of tubes open at one, or at both, ends.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention will be seen to concern thin-walled, water-impermeable, cast and bandage covers that are entirely elastomeric, fitting snugly over and upon casts located on human limbs and limb extremities. Although cast and bandage covers of the prior art have occasionally had limited regions of elastic material, those prior art flexible cast covers known to the inventor are more commonly of an immutable topology of the nature of plastic bags than of the dynamic, stretch-fit, topology of condoms to which the present invention may be compared.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,603 to Scott for a WATER IMPERVIOUS BOOT FOR PROTECTING A SURGICAL CAST concerns a light weight flexible boot worn over a foot in a surgical cast to protect the cast from moisture. The boot has (i) a walking sole of tough rubber type material with a cushion sole and (ii) an upper body composed entirely of flexible and elastic foam material, with (iii) an inner fabric layer and (iv) an outer covering of water impervious fabric. The boot can be stretched over various sizes and shapes of casts. All joints in the boot are completely sealed and waterproof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,317 to Broucek for a WATERTIGHT CAST COVER concerns a watertight cast cover for protecting a cast, bandage or the like. The cast cover includes an elongated, generally tubular waterproof member having a closed end and an open end. An adjustable resilient sealing band extends around the periphery of the open end of the member. The band includes overlapping ends, one end of which defines a flap. The flap and band may be stretched to form a seal with the user's limb, and the flap may be secured to the band.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,834 to Bates, et. al., for a WATERPROOF LIMB COVERING concerns a waterproof covering intended to be worn over a cast or bandage on an injured arm or leg. The covering comprises a generally tubular water-impervious sleeve which is closed at one end, and which has spaced cutting sites running from side to side along which the sleeve can be cut to different lengths. Apertured tabs are provided along the length of the covering to receive a strap for encircling the covering and sealing the covering around the limb, when the covering is cut at the cutting sites. Visual indicators identify the cutting sites. Additional seam segments serve to provide resistance to tearing at side edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,501 to George for a METHOD OF WATERPROOF SEALING OF CASTS AND DRESSINGS discloses a method of forming a waterproof seal about the cast or dressing on a patient. An air- and water-impervious flexible membrane is placed over the cast or dressing to a position where the membrane's edge margins overlie the patient's skin along the perimeter of the cast or dressing. A vacuum is created between the membrane and skin by evacuating air through a suction tube or valve. The vacuum creates a close, snug fit of the membrane over the entirety of the cast or dressing and over a relatively large surface area of skin to provide a waterproof seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,151 to Rankin, et. al. for a DISPOSABLE DRESSING COVER concerns a disposable waterproof covering for a cast or bandage on an arm or leg. The cover is used primarily when bathing or showering to protect against wetting the cast or bandage. A generally tubular plastic sleeve is sealed to the user's arm or leg above the cast or bandage by a flexible plastic strap to effect a snug, water-tight, contact of the sleeve with the arm or leg. The strap is secured by an adhesive at one end to the sleeve adjacent the open end of the sleeve, and is wound around 360 degrees and secured at its other by a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,265 to Caponi for a PROTECTIVE COVER FOR CAST concerns a protective cover for covering a plaster cast or the like on a patient. The cover includes an elongated waterproof, flexible, polymer bag having an opening in one end. The open end of the polymer bag has a surrounding elastic edge to hold the elongated, waterproof, flexible, polymer bag over a cast on a patient's limb. A small piece of hook and loop material is attached to the flexible bag. An elongated, substantially flat sealing band is made of an elastic, resilient, waterproof foamed polymer material with hook and loop material attached thereto. The hook material is positioned at predetermined positions on one side of the flat sealing band while the other side of the sealing band is covered with a loop. The elongated, waterproof, flexible, polymer bag is placed over a cast and the elongated, substantially flat sealing band attached on one end to the piece of hook and loop material on the bag. The sealing band is then wrapped around the open end of the bag to form multiple, overlapping, wrappings. The wrappings seal the open end of the bag against the intrusion of liquid when the sealing band is both stretched to form a tight seal and attached with the hook and loop material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,648 to Brown, et. al., for a LIMB PROTECTIVE COVERING concerns a tubular sleeve of waterproof material for receiving a limb and an elongated closure member for tightening this sleeve around the limb. A portion of the sleeve above the closure member is folded over the closure member to form a cuff. A belt attaches to the cuff and wraps around the cuff to completely seal the covered limb.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,286 to Kelly, et. al., for a WATERPROOF COVERING describes a water-impervious covering for the extremities. The covering is intended to protect a bandage or cast portion of the extremity during bathing or the like. The covering is a sack-like member having an upper lip extending above the opening in the covering. The lip has a laterally extending perforation parallel to the opening extending approximately four-fifths of the width thereof. An adhesive strip extends the entire width of the lip from one side to the other. The adhesive strip is covered with a protective removable sheet. In use, the perforation is torn to separate the lip into a tie member and a securing member. The adhesive protective sheet is then removed and the extremity inserted into the sack-like covering. The securing portion then is adhered to the surface of the extremity and the opening gathered around the extremity so that the tie member may be used to encircle the gathering and thereby secure the covering to the extremity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,302 to Botha, et. al., for a PROTECTIVE SHEATH FOR AN INJURED LIMB concerns a limb sheath used to provide a waterproof cover for an injured limb, such as a burned limb or a limb which is bandaged or in a cast. The sheath has a water impervious sleeve made of a first plastics material. The sleeve has an open end through which a limb can be inserted. A sealing strip is fastened to and extends about the internal surface of the sleeve at the open end. The sealing strip is made of a second plastics material which is more highly plasticized than the first plastics material. There is also an elastic strap which is connected to and extends from the sleeve adjacent the open end. The strap is fastened to itself by mating components of a self-contact fastener. In use with the sealing strip in contact with the limb, the strap can be stretched resiliently, wrapped about the open end and fastened to itself, thereby pressing the sealing strip against the limb to form a water-tight seal at the open end.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,183 to Hill for a WATERPROOF COVER FOR CASTS AND BANDAGES discloses a waterproof cover for casts and bandages on the extremities. The cover includes an elongated sleeve of transparent polyethylene having a thickness between about 0.001 and 0.006 inches and a length greater than its width. The sleeve has a face side and an obverse side and a distal end and a proximal end. It is hermetically sealed at its distal end thus forming a waterproof cover. A hook and loop fastener is used for affixing the cover on the extremity. A first strip of the hook and loop fastener is disposed on the proximal end of the face side of the sleeve, the first strip having an array of plastic hooks disposed thereon. The first strip extends substantially across the entire width of the face side and the hooks face outwardly from the sleeve. A second strip of loops is disposed on the proximal end of the obverse side. A covering of soft fleece is disposed on the face side. The second strip has a length greater than the width of the sleeve whereby to form extensions to engage the hooks on the first strip. The second strip is joined to the obverse side at its middle thereby leaving the distal ends of the second strip to be unrestricted in movement and to allow portions of the obverse side to be folded and gathered within the sleeve and secured in place by the second strip, thereby to form a water resistant cover when placed upon an extremity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,052 to Meehan for a WATERPROOF ENCLOSURE concerns a waterproof enclosure including a pliable, waterproof, elongated sheath having either (i) a closed end and an open end, or (ii) two open ends. A resilient, waterproof, sealing element is associated with each open end. A pliable, waterproof, bellows car be interposed between and contiguous with (i) the end of each sealing element and (ii) the sheath. Each sealing element may include a first end that is of smaller diameter than a second end, a frustaconical shape, and/or ribs. A closed sheath end may have a rough surface to improve traction. A gas passage through the sheath can be provided that includes a port activated from a first state for inhibiting gas movement through the gas passage and a second state for permitting gas movement through the gas passage. The port can be manually movable from the first state to the second state, and can include a pressure relief valve. The waterproof enclosure can include a loop integral with the exterior surface of the sheath to which an elasticized cord may be attached. An apertured covering that encloses at least a portion of the waterproof enclosure is also disclosed.